Ricky Ponting has joined Michael Clarke is urging selectors to leave Sam Konstas at the top of the order for the first Test against Sri Lanka – in direct opposition of what David Warner and Tim Paine have said. Selectors are said to be weighing up whether to promote Travis Head to open the batting with Usman Khawaja, which would see Konstas slide down to the middle order or left out of the XI altogether.
Head has performed much better at the top of the order in the subcontinent and struggles while facing spin straight away down at No.5. There’s a chain of thought that Head and Khawaja will be opening the batting in the first Test against Sri Lanka, with Josh Inglis or Nathan McSweeney to bat at No.5.
Warner and Paine have both declared that Head should be opening, but Ponting and Clarke disagree. Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald on Friday, Ponting said: “I think they’ll pick Konstas and I think they should pick Konstas. He’s the one they’ve identified, he’s hit the ground running here in his first innings as well (at the MCG against India). He provided a lot of entertainment and a lot of buzz around that whole series.
“I think they need to play him, to be honest. It’s a hard place to play and a hard place to win. It’ll be hard place to bat for all of our guys, but especially some of the younger guys who haven’t experienced those conditions much in the past. But I think they should pick him, it’ll be a great learning experience for him.”
Speaking to reporters after being inducted into the Cricket Australia Hall of Fame on Thursday, fellow former Test captain Clarke said: “I don’t think we need too much [change] in terms of structure. We’ve just come off a win. Conditions are very different but Trav has been extraordinary through the middle order.”
Clarke rejected the notion that Head might not have to face as much spin if he opens the batting. Although it would mean he does so with a new ball rather than old one.
“The other thing is I don’t think it’s going to matter,” he said. “If you’re going to open the batting, you’re going to start against spin. If you bat five, you’re going to walk in against spin. Get used to facing spin bowling because you’ll get two Test matches of it.
“Sam’s an enormous talent and I think Australian cricket continues to produce young, talented players in men’s and women’s cricket. You learn so many things by having good senior players around you. Sam is one of the examples where he’s lucky to have these senior players around him.”
Clarke and Ponting’s comments come after Warner and Paine both said they believe Head should open. “In the subcontinent over the years, we’ve not had a great deal of success,” Warner said last week. “What does success look like for the Australian cricket team? It’s getting off to a good start and being able to capitalise.
“So I think it’s a good move putting ‘Trav’ up at the top of the order to get us off to a good start. Could Sam do that as well? He probably could. But I think with the experience that Trav’s got and the opposition probably going, ‘Wow, it’s Travis Head, we’re going to have to be on point from ball one’.”
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Paine said he doesn’t see how Konstas fits into Australia’s XI. “There’s no greater fan of Sam Konstas than me, but I’m not sure where he fits into Australia’s side for the first Test in Sri Lanka,” he said earlier this month. “I’m a big believer in Travis Head opening the batting in Asian conditions, just as he did successfully in India two years ago. I also still feel Usman Khawaja is better placed than Konstas to open on slow, low-turning wickets, the type we are likely to be confronted with in Galle.”
Konstas was diplomatic when discussing the situation last week. The 19-year-old said: “It’s obviously a huge honour representing my country and touring to Sri Lanka. They’ve welcomed me with open arms and I’m keen to learn and get better. Obviously we’ve got a strong squad. If I do get the opportunity (to open), hopefully I’ll take it with both hands.”
